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Post by Sartoz on May 8, 2019 12:23:41 GMT
Andrew Wilson in EA FY19 earnings call answered a question regarding how the pub plans to tackle tech problems of live online games, such as Anthem. His reply was lengthy where he outlines a shift in approach to launching these type of games.
EA will try the soft launch model now done with mobile games to "lessen" global launch woes.
Basically, Wilson said EA will switch marketing out of presentation mode and into ‘conversation mode. ... whatever that means.
The question is will DA4 be the early guinea pig?
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Post by The Elder King on May 8, 2019 12:35:40 GMT
I don’t think so, if this new launch model is going to debut fairly soon.
Wilson’s words were a bit confusing because Anthem isn’t really a game that allows players to have 40 to 80 hours of play offline. Did his words imply that the model would continue with DA4, so that there’ll be a strong offline/traditional mode?
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Post by Pounce de León on May 8, 2019 12:52:14 GMT
What is a soft launch? New corpspeak invention?
Let me interpret Wilson's remarks about marketing, too: Is gonna be even more vague so when shit gets finally delivered noone can blame them because they never really said anything.
That is soft launch. With marketing as soft as baby rear. But stinks just the same.
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Post by Sartoz on May 8, 2019 13:00:03 GMT
I don’t think so, if this new launch model is going to debut fairly soon. Wilson’s words were a bit confusing because Anthem isn’t really a game that allows players to have 40 to 80 hours of play offline. Did his words imply that the model would continue with DA4, so that there’ll be a strong offline/traditional mode?
His obfuscation was deliberate, imo. Probably because he doesn't have detail plans yet.
However, DA4 as an RPG fits the 40-80 hrs offline play. On the other hand, live service MP only games is a better fit for this soft launch. This "conversation mode" is highly intangible. At this moment, it means nothing to me.
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Post by SirSourpuss on May 8, 2019 13:35:24 GMT
Basically, Wilson said EA will switch marketing out of presentation mode and into ‘conversation mode. ... whatever that means. It sort of sounds like early access, but not quite. I think this will be a more closed version of it, like an ongoing closed alpha/beta. The thing is, Bioware's games didn't suffer from a gameplay perspective. Though people have their qualms about certain aspects/mechanics, as do I, the gameplay is arguably the best part of these games. It's everything else that suffered and I don't know what feedback a closed alpha/beta could provide to Bioware's games.
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Post by biggydx on May 8, 2019 20:42:21 GMT
From what I read, his comments were with respect to large-scale online games (like Anthem and Battlefield). I don't think this principle would be the case for Dragon Age, since it would primarily be a single player experience (yes, I know there will be MP aspects as well). Soft launching might mean more beta testing prior to release, or at least that's what I came to the conclusion on. I don't play mobile games, so I don't know if they do those types of test in the mobile market. Assuming his definition of "soft launch" is the same as mine, then to me it sounds more akin to how MMO's go about testing various aspects of their game prior to the initial release.
If this becomes the case, it'll likely mean that the developers will have to have the game in a playable state much earlier; for the playerbase to test. It technically would allow their games to reach a higher quality on release, but if the dev cycle between new installments (or franchises) is short, it could actually do more harm than good. Personally, I think it was silly for EA to think they could pull off a new Battlefield every year with only one studio. Ever since the Battlefield games started becoming annual releases, the quality of the games started to diminish; as well as the upfront content. Lets not also forget the numerous bugs as well (and this also applies to Anthem).
I don't know how this will play out in the future, but if more beta-testing is in store for EA's online titles, than that at least means players will be able to have a better idea if they want to spend their money on those titles.
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Post by duckley on May 9, 2019 1:51:55 GMT
Soft launch in my world means minimal fanfare...
less fanfare = less hype = less disappointment = less vitriolic hyperbole = soft launch is maybe a good thing?
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Post by biggydx on May 9, 2019 2:16:23 GMT
Soft launch in my world means minimal fanfare... less fanfare = less hype = less disappointment = less vitriolic hyperbole = soft launch is maybe a good thing? Setting expectations properly (basically). I can also see that being the case, though his statement about having a "conversational" approach with players might placate to both theories of what "soft launch" means. To some degree, I can see the point of your argument. Apex Legends had little to no marketing, which may have led to its significant success upon its release; though it releasing in a polished state helped as well. Either way, EA (and their studios) better start getting their act together if they ever want to regain relevancy again.
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Post by Fredward on May 9, 2019 5:35:58 GMT
I got the impression Anthem WAS a soft launch, not that I had the terminology obviously but the way they gradually made the game available for a broader audience and not all at once struck me as unusual and noteworthy. Not that it mattered. So even softer?
The discussion mode is probably just the transparency that was praised before release and the absence of which has been noted and criticizes post. I think it's a good thing, if they keep it up afterwards if there are issues which they have not in this case.
Worth noting that they're not sourcing the issues in the kind of product Anthem is rather in the associated delivery methods so it's reception is probably not gonna mark any kind of substantive shift in their long term path and so no big shifts for DA4 to something more SP focused (more than it was before Anthem anyway).
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Post by apollexander on May 9, 2019 6:22:42 GMT
Since he mentioned mobile games in Asia, I think there will be more closed alpha tests, open beta tests and something like that.
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Post by bizantura on May 9, 2019 13:01:22 GMT
So, new terminology that stinks all the same due to no meaning.
Bioware proved they today can't cobble a game together worth playing.
Simple logic, one waits until review and gameplay hit the internet to make up one's own mind if the game you're interested in is play-worthy!
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Post by river82 on May 9, 2019 22:37:04 GMT
Err ... the term "soft launch" has been around for a while and means a release to a smaller audience. I'm pretty sure they already did this with Anthem, btw. It's a more controlled release.
So I can wear two hats, my optimistic hat and my cynicism hat. *Puts on optimistic hat* Oh okay, they're testing things out and getting feedback before they release to a wider audience, that's not too ba- *rips of optimistic hat* Oh I see, they're inviting their own lackeys to play the game first so they can provide glowing early feedback and control the early narrative. I see what they're doin- *puts on optimistic hat* That's pretty sensible of them *rips off optimistic hat* How utterly underhanded >:c
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Post by cankiie on May 11, 2019 0:38:21 GMT
Err ... the term "soft launch" has been around for a while and means a release to a smaller audience. I'm pretty sure they already did this with Anthem, btw. It's a more controlled release. So I can wear two hats, my optimistic hat and my cynicism hat. *Puts on optimistic hat* Oh okay, they're testing things out and getting feedback before they release to a wider audience, that's not too ba- *rips of optimistic hat* Oh I see, they're inviting their own lackeys to play the game first so they can provide glowing early feedback and control the early narrative. I see what they're doin- *puts on optimistic hat* That's pretty sensible of them *rips off optimistic hat* How utterly underhanded >:c Should ALWAYS invite the skepticals to play. You may not get a positive review. But you can be damn sure you'll get proper feedback for the game, the most likely response by the masses, as well as a multitude of the respect from the skepticals themselves for daring to do exactly that. Game devs and corps need to remember, just because a reviewer is skeptical and gives negative reviews, does not mean that they are unfair, they are not giving bad reviews just for the sake of giving bad reviews. You as a consumer would also be absolutely sure what the game is going to look like and offer you the chance of making a smarter decision. I say invite Jim Sterling to play early!
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Post by smilesja on May 14, 2019 20:45:12 GMT
I'd say let both the skeptics and optimists play, get a more balanced opinion.
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Post by cankiie on May 15, 2019 22:54:55 GMT
I'd say let both the skeptics and optimists play, get a more balanced opinion. Yeah, I have already seen what happens when "optimists" are giving game reviews. Exactly what is currently happening, the industry going to shite.
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